What do I need to know about using my own, custom HTML email?

If you'd like to insert content in a tabular format, this should be done in tables rather than spacing in between 2 columns.

Many email clients will ignore CSS unless it's used Inline. Because of this, we recommend that you code your emails using in-line CSS only.

Avoid copying text and/or images from an external source such as MS Word and pasting it directly into Benchmark Email's Editor. Instead, paste it into Notepad first, and then transfer it from Notepad into Editor.

How do I send the same email with unique content for each recipient?

Let's say you wanted to send an email to all of your subscribers to communicate a meeting location that varies depending on their city. Conditional Formatting allows you to do just this.

Using the code below, you can email a subscriber from Los Angeles to meet at the LA Convention Center while a subscriber from Tucson to meet at the Tucson Convention Center, all within the same email.

Insert the codes below right into Editor (red text are the variables):

[if:fieldname=value]
This will evaluate the value of the field and proceed if there is a match. The field refers to the name of the column.

[elseif:fieldname=value]
This will provide the alternative content if the given condition is satisfied.

[else]
This will provide an alternative content, in case the above conditions fail.

[endif]
This is to mark the end of the conditional statements.

*The following examples build off one another

Below are instructions on how to insert a unique message for recipients from California ("CA" in the State column in their contact list). However, you're able to apply the codes to any one of the 27 fields.

In Step 4 Editor, click on the Pencil icon for the section you'd like to insert the unique content

Enter in the following code: [if:State=CA]

In the next line, enter in your desired message. For example: We have a meeting on February 24th

In the next line, enter in the following code: [endif]

Here's how it should appear in the section:

Here's how it should appear in the HTML window:

Let's say you want to add a different message for contacts from Texas in addition to the message to California recipients. Then, you would follow the instructions below (steps 4 and 5 are new):

In Step 4 Editor, click on the Pencil icon for the section you'd like to insert the unique content

Enter in the following code: [if:State=CA]

In the next line, enter in your desired message. For example: We have a meeting on February 24th

In the next line, enter in the following code: [elseif:State=TX]

In the next line, enter in your desired message. For example: We have a meeting on February 28th

In the next line, enter in the following code: [endif]

Here's how it should appear in the section:

Here's how it should appear in the HTML window:

If you want to add an additional message for recipients who are from California (based on the State column in their contact list) and another, different message for all others, follow the instructions below:

In Step 4 Editor, click on the Pencil icon for the section you'd like to insert the unique content

Enter in the following code: [if:State=CA]

In the next line, enter in your desired message. For example: We have a meeting on February 24th

In the next line, enter in the following code: [else]

In the next line, enter in your desired message. For example: We have a meeting on February 28th

In the next line, enter in the following code: [endif]

Here's how it should appear in the section:

Here's how it should appear in the HTML window:

If you want to add an additional message for recipients who are from California, a separate one for contacts from Texas (based on the State column in their contact list) and a separate one for all others, follow the instructions below:

In Step 4 Editor, click on the Pencil icon for the section you'd like to insert the unique content

Enter in the following code: [if:State=CA]

In the next line, enter in your desired message. For example: We have a meeting on February 24th

In the next line, enter in the following code: [elseif:State=TX]

In the next line, enter in your desired message. For example: We have a meeting on February 28th

In the next line, enter in the following code: [else]

In the next line, enter in your desired message. For example: We have no meetings this month

If you have already copied and pasted, you can still follow the instructions above but only after you've selected the Clear Style button .

If you prefer to rectify the disparities using HTML, follow the instructions below:

Click the Pencil icon for the section you've transferred the text. As you can see in the example below, there is excess space between paragraphs:

Select the blue HTML button located at the bottom right of the floating toolbar

You'll most likely find <p> tags if you've copied and pasted from Word:

Remove the <p> tag in the beginning of each line and replace the closing </p> tag with <br /> for a single space and <br /><br /> for double space. The example below illustrates a double-space between each line:

Now, the excess space has been removed and each paragraph is double-spaced accordingly: